PGAD Remains a Mystery but There is Relief

It was the year 2001 when a young man sought relief from his doctor for a continual feeling of having orgasms. Since then, sheepishly, men have come forward with this anomaly. Urologists and other physicians call this disorder ‘Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder,’ (PGAD), ‘Restless Genital Syndrome,’ (RGS) or ‘Persistent Sexual Arousal Syndrome,’ (PSAS).

However, you pronounce it, it is a condition in men that like women are very embarrassing and totally unwanted at inconvenient times. PGAD is a condition where men become sexually aroused without any stimulation and which occurs at any time.

PGAD is more common in women than it is in men. Doctors who treat men for this condition refer to it as ‘priapism.” Medically diagnosed, priapism is an unintended sudden erection in men and women that lasts several hours, on an almost daily basis.

PGAD or priapism in women is not as harmful as it is in men. However, in men, it is dangerous because copious amounts of blood are encased in a man’s genitals. When the genitals swell, the trapped blood could cause damage to his arteries.

Also, without medical help, a man could experience internal scarring, gangrene, and a loss of sexual functions. If a man has an erection for 4 hours or longer, go see a physician immediately. The doctor can perform a surgical shunt to deflect the flow of the blood.

In an emergency, the doctor can use a needle to withdraw some of the blood from the genitals. After this emergency procedure, men should apply some ice or take an anti-inflammatory medication to relieve the swelling and tenderness.

Unwanted PGAD symptoms vary in men. The most common oncoming symptoms of a PGAD in men are tingling, throbbing, pressure, pulsating, and engorgement. These symptoms occur in the genitalia, in the perineum or the anus.

Men report that the symptoms happen even when there is no thought of a sexual interest. Some men say that simply sitting, lying down, exercising, or riding in a car, can cause their genitals to swell without any sexual triggers.

Treating persistent genital arousal disorder San Diego CA is a challenge for doctors. Research is ongoing and each male who experiences PGAD is different and so is their treatment. Currently, the guess is that PGAD is related to a nerve dysfunction. The nerves surrounding the penis may be damaged.

PGAD is being studied as a neurological disorder, as a bacterial infection, a psychological disorder, a chemical imbalance, post-surgical development, or trauma to the nervous system. Despite the medical guesses, the genital arousal of PGAD is a low self-esteem issue for both men and women.

There are temporary treatments that give short relief so that men don’t experience PGAD on a daily basis. So far, treatments include antidepressants, neurological prescriptions, anti-seizure medications, beta-blockers, electrical nerve stimulations, and other solutions to treat PGAD triggers.

Conclusion

The Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder has multiple etiologies which is why a cause is so hard to pinpoint. Gratefully, its symptoms for both men and women are manageable to give individuals a better quality of life and to help reduce their psychological desperation for a cure.